21.Procrastination - Geelong 2023 and Reflection

1987. I can still remember the day. 

As a keen year 11 student at Lithgow HS, still confused as to whether or not I actually wanted to be at school anymore (it was a different time) I took some advice from a mate of mine and chose Physics as one of my elective subjects. 

I'm not a complete dumbass, but I found out very quickly that I was well out of my league in this class. The first lesson, Mr Broadhead (his real name) came in, smiled as he picked up the chalk and wrote in large capital letters on the board " Those who procrastinate are doomed" he placed the chalk down, turned around and smiled again. 

Two weeks later I was in history class. 

Two months after that I was in Navy recruit school @ HMAS Cerberus.

That one sentence has always stuck with me though, always. 

I remember nothing of the history class except laughing a lot and some bloke called Squizzy Taylor.

Geelong two day shoot was what seems like a life ago, 18-19 November 2023. I have been procrastinating finishing this blog, rounding out the year and my experience in Archery in 2023. I apologise for my tardiness.

Lets continue with a massive rewind and some that I had prepared earlier.

09/11 - Indoor Range - 35 Arrows.

Every time we shoot 3D targets at indoors on a Thursday night I hit a steel frame or the part of a leg that holds these targets up and break an arrow. Every. Damn. Time.

I have four FL14 arrows left and didn't want to risk breaking another carbon before the final hit out next week at Geelong, so I shot them and I had substituted a random old wooden arrow to make up the five we need to shoot at each target. 

It was this odd one that was low on the target hitting the frame, sending out that all too familiar metallic 'ting' sound that is almost always a tip getting smashed off the shaft. FFS. Anyway.

Geelong Trophy Bowhunters 2 day shoot:

This is always a great weekend, the last competition of the year and is generally relaxed. I also like it for the reason the club grounds are less than 30 minutes away from home.

The weather was good, the courses were as challenging as they always have been and catching up with the usual suspects was and is always one of the highlights.

How did I shoot? 

I had put in a lot of time over the last few months and could be accused of taking the foot off of the accelerator in the last few weeks but I was keen to do well, I was also in the mindset that I have achieved more than what I had expected in the last few months so being the last competition I might be able to relax and enjoy the shoot. Yeah Nah

I can't help myself.

I was grouped with Karina from Geelong and Hayden from Bacchus. 

This was going to be interesting. Hayden is a very competent archer whom I respect a lot and also the only other shooter in my division so I knew that I was in for a tight weekend. The group dynamic was kinda odd compared to most comps . Karina doesn't say much, not to me anyway, either does Hayden. 

We shot with a Geelong member for the first round but he was out for the weekend after that with family stuff, the rest of the weekend was quiet. The usual 'nice shot',  'how loud are those cockatoos', 'unlucky', 'can't call it maybe have another one' and a few other one liners but that was it.

Day one - R1- Hayden up 14. R2 - Hayden up 32

Despite being reliably informed by one of his club mates that I could get into his head and throw him off his game, but that isn't my style plus it's hard to throw some banter around when nobody is saying anything much at all. 

So in the near silence of the rounds on day two I was successful in getting into my own head instead and by the afternoon I missed a couple that he didn't and the bridesmaid syndrome continues into the long break.

Day two - Hayden up 22, R2 Hayden up 72.

Loved it though and full kudos to Hayden for a solid weekend of shooting. Credit to GTB for the event and without a doubt the screening of the classic Robin Hood men in tights on Saturday night was awesome, I forgot how funny that cinematic masterpiece was.

Life beyond the archery competition in 2023.

The club had a couple of indoor comps leading into the end of year break.

The only two I attended was an indoor IFFA shoot which I shot with my shiny new striker limbs on the old riser, that bow just feels like home and I was pretty happy given I hadn't shot it in years post the first limb de-lamination incident. The scores suck despite how good it was shooting this bow, but at this stage of the year who cares - 42 Arrows.

Club Christmas shoot - 55 arrows.

Very relaxed stroll around the clubs shiny new green course, I had a part in blazing this course into the Otway Bush so it was nice to shoot it for the first time, it will be rolled out proper at the clubs two day competition in April.

And I haven't shot an arrow since.

Stable is now complete.

The new bow from Norseman arrived, The Valkyrie. 50# @ 27".

The Striker limbs as mentioned getting this beast operational again. 50# @ 28".

And the Woomera that has seen me through 2023 and the lead up to. 55# @ 28".

The three bows are sorted on the homemade rack in the dining room of the house, for as long as I can get away with it anyway. The boys' bows, my ever growing arrow collection, toolbox and surplus odds and ends are in the foyer of the main entrance of our house. We don't use it though, we all come in the side door next to the carport though, I call this the armory and is in the best position come the zombie apocalypse.

 

The dilemma now is deciding which bow to take into the 2024 comp season? I have two new sets of arrows that I will, for the first time, actually tune to the bows and see how it all pans out for the Goldfields Classic in a few weeks.

The year is done, I went to all of the comps for the first time, shot almost all Thursday nights at indoor and the Sunday shoots at Barongarook, practiced most days at home. 

5067 Arrows.

I feel as though I have improved, Still making some stupid form errors of which some stem from an elbow problem that is slowly developing, hopefully the drop in poundage will remedy that, along with the break over summer.

I won't be continuing this blog though, it was good for what I started it for, making myself accountable to myself, giving me some motivation, a chance to document what a year doing this sport entails for some and hopefully entertaining some folks along the way.

Thanks for taking the time to read it, I'll be happy if someone took away something positive from my ramblings. I will see everyone out and about throughout 2024. 

Aim small, miss small, may your arrows fly true and breathe.

Brett

FL14 Tally:

This period  -  35 arrows @ home

                    -  42 arrows @ indoor range

                    -  55 arrows @ outdoor range

                    -  98 arrows @ competition

2023 Total Arrows - 5067

FL14 Casualties - 10 - (7 broken, 3 lost) = 4 left

Carbon Casualties - 6 - (2 Broken, 4 Lost)